Just before the NHL Roster Freeze on Wednesday, Kings GM Ken Holland pulled off a huge trade with the Rangers, acquiring forward Artemi Panarin. As timing would have it, Holland had previously scheduled a press conference for the same day (perhaps knowing that something could be coming, but more likely timed to discuss the team’s performance thus far in 2025-26 and address what his priorities were heading into next month’s Trade Deadline).
We previously posted full video of the press conference here. Now, below is a full transcription — note, the commentary has been slightly edited and/or paraphrased for reading purposes.
Holland on the logistics of trade negotiations:
Obviously, I couldn’t really talk too much to the Panarin camp, so lots of conversations with [Rangers GM] Chris Drury. As we got into today, my feeling was that we were on a short list of teams that he would go to, and we had to find a solution to make a deal. Then, once a deal was done, we wanted an extension; Artemi wanted an extension too. So, it all came together probably the last half hour, from 11:30 to 12 o’clock. There was quite a gap at 11 o’clock, one hour before. I thought maybe we were kind of winding down, we were going into the break. Then it kind of got revived the last 45 minutes, and you got the deal.
On how Panarin fits into the team system or if the system will change:
Well, we’re not going to change the system, but my feeling is when you get into the o-zone, for the most part, players like Panarin are going to have the freedom to do what he wants to do. But when you don’t have the puck, you have to defend. I think that’s the same for all 32 teams. We haven’t scored as much as some other teams, so we have to make sure that we’re good on the defensive side. He’s going to fly in and be here with us on the 18th, when we’ll start a training camp, so there’ll be 10 days where the coach can have some meetings and see who he has some chemistry with.
But we’re excited to have the talent, he’s going to help the power play, he plays like a centerman in the o-zone. What do I mean? He moves the puck around, he creates scoring chances for other people, so obviously we’re going to give him some freedom, certainly in the o-zone.
On if he the Kings will redefine how they will play:
Well, I don’t think you can. We’re down to the last 25 games. I don’t think you can go into a break and all of a sudden you make one trade and completely change how you play. I think you’re running the potential for a major problem. We’re going to try and make this as seamless as possible, but when we were sitting here over the last 48 hours — and knowing he’s had more than a point-per-game for nine consecutive years — those players are hard to find. So, we went ahead and did the deal because he has talent; and now we have to figure out who he fits with and how we can get the most out of him.
On if the trade negotiations involved another player from New York, potentially a center:
Not really. We brought some names up, but very, very briefly. I think that Drury really wanted to focus on Panarin.
On the salary flexibility going into the Trade Deadline, and if the Kings will be targeting a center:
I think at the center spot, when we’re healthy, we feel pretty good about our center icemen. Obviously when we didn’t have Kopi, he’s a big guy in the faceoff circle for us. We had a real struggle there for a while in the faceoff circles, but getting Kopi back has really helped that. Obviously, we have to get Turcotte back. I think that Helenius has made some nice strides here the last four to six weeks. So, the center position is going to probably be a topic of conversation for sure in the off season. I’m going to work the phones. I would say to you right now that with the [Roster Freeze] over, I think things are going to go quiet now for about 10-12 days. Maybe the last week, just before we’re going to start to come out of the Olympic break, I’m sure phone calls will start coming and I’ll work the phone and see what’s out there.
On the acquisition maximizing the competitive window:
We made the deal today to make our team better, and we signed him to a two-year extension. We weren’t going to do it as a rental. He didn’t want to go anywhere as a rental; he wanted to find a home. We’re thrilled that he wanted to waive the no-trade [clause] to come to LA. We’re happy that we were able to get him to a two-year extension. After two years, I’m hoping that we’re working on another extension. But we’ll worry about that down the road. I think it was just a matter of these types of players, with this resume are very, very difficult to find, and we had an opportunity to add one today.
We gave up a good young prospect in [Liam] Greentree. I’m happy we were able to protect our first-round draft pick. We have a couple of second round picks too. Now, I’m hoping that one of them is going to be moved because if we win a playoff round, they get one of the seconds. But if we don’t win a round, it means we have two seconds. It was an opportunity to kind of hang on to our first pick, and with the Danault deal, we had two seconds. We put one into play now. We’d like to think that we kind of made a decision today that really impacts our team, but we’ve also structured the deal that we were able to still have some draft picks going forward. And I’m hoping that we go into the final four and we give away a [conditional] second and a fourth, but we still have our first-round draft pick.
On if the organization has a win now mindset:
I would say so, yeah. I guess there’s two ways to look at it, you either compete or you go into this long-term rebuild. We’re not interested in a long-term rebuild. I’m not interested in a long-term rebuild. I think some of the people that we signed are not interested in that. We’re trying to compete. This team has made the playoffs four straight years in a row. When I look at our division, there’s six teams from 64 to 58 [points]. Nobody’s really running away, it’s a tight division. We made the move today to make our team better; try to get some more goals, put a little pop in the power play, and try to play our way into the playoffs. Once you get in, everybody wants to make noise in the playoffs.
On how the deal came together, and if he was surprised Panarin was made available in a trade:
Shortly after New York sat him out, Drury called me. We had a couple of brief conversations. We didn’t really talk [for a while], and then there was a deadline today. Drury called me on Sunday, and we kind of revived it. We were on it all day, then again all day Monday and Tuesday. Early this morning we were able to find a deal. To get back to it again, and we’ve talked internally, players of this skill — he’s 34, you look at Corey Perry at 40, and you look at some of the other players around the league at 35-36 — the impact that they’ve had in helping teams maybe win Stanley Cups or go on long playoff runs. The players today are in great shape, they train year-round. He has a high, high hockey IQ and he kind of floats on the ice. He’s a gifted skater. He’s 34, and won’t turn 35 until [October], so the age didn’t scare us. We’re right in the thick of the division. We’re four points out of first place.
Obviously, there are some teams in the other division in the conference that have gone away. We’re not worried about them. We’re worried about our division. We’ve lost 14 games in extra time. I think we have 23 overtime games, so we’re competitive. We just need an extra goal here and there to win a few more games, and we believe Panarin is going to come in and give us a little pop, and help the PP. When we go into overtime, certainly, he can play in the extra time. Those points are critical. We didn’t want to give away Greentree, but if you want to do anything, you’re going to have to move somebody. Like I said, we traded away Greentree, but we protected our first round pick, we’ve got two seconds right now, one will go if we win a round. So, as we put this whole package together, as we sat in the room here today at 11:30, [we] felt this was something that we didn’t want to pass up.
On if there have been any preliminary conversations regarding a contract extension for Brandt Clarke yet:
We’ve had lots of conversations with his with his agent, Randy Robitaille. We have to continue to work on it. The good news is, he’s a restricted free agent, so we have lots of time. Ideally, we’d like to find something before July 1. That way, you go into the unrestricted free agency period knowing what your cap numbers are for all the players on your team.
On taking some time to find where Panarin might fit into the lineup:
I don’t [where know yet]. I haven’t really had a chance to sit down and talk with Jim Hiller in detail. He’s not going to play tonight or join us tomorrow. He hasn’t played or practiced in a week, so he’s going to join us when we’re on the ice on the 18th. That gives the coaching staff a lot of time here to figure out exactly where he fits. Then, once he gets here, to have those conversations with him to see where he fits and how we can get the most out of him. That’s our job; to get the most out of each player.
On if he has full confidence that Hiller can get this team into the playoffs:
The answer is yes. We’re four points out of the division lead. Points are probably going to be down for a lot of teams this year because of the parity. So, absolutely. We play hard every night. We just need an extra goal here and there. I’m hoping that the move we did today is going to make a difference.
On if the new fourth line has made it even more challenging to juggle all the forwards the Kings currently have on the roster:
It’s created real positive issues. They’ve had a real positive impact on our team. They scored a big goal in Carolina; Sammy had a big goal in Detroit and Carolina. They’re physical, they’re spending lots of shifts down low in the o-zone. They’re finishing their shifts in the o-zone, so that the next line comes out can start in the o-zone. Obviously, Warren Foegele’s been out a little bit, had a big impact on the team last year. Those are bad things for the players. Those are good things for the team. We liked [Andre] Lee when he came up, and he’s playing really good in Ontario. He has 18 or 19 goals. So, we feel good about the depth of up front. For the rest of this year, we feel we’re fine down the middle. Laffy’s gone to the middle and has done a nice job. When we’re healthy, Laffy can go back to the wing. As we get into the offseason, the center position — with Kopi retiring — in probably going to be priority number one.
When we get out of this Olympic break, I’ll start working the phones, because we’ll have about 10 days from the Olympic break [to the NHL Trade Deadline]. It’s probably going to be two weeks on the phone, as we start to talk to other managers to see what they’re thinking. We did the deal today because players of Panarin’s skill, hockey sense, and resume — what he’s done year after year after year. He has 57 points this year in 52 games. He’s on pace again for another 90-point season. Hard to find those players.
On if he has any thoughts about swapping out one of LA’s defensemen prior to the Trade Deadline:
No. I think we’re number three in the league; we’re fourth in goals against. We’re doing it. Even all these analytics say that we’re doing a good job. We like our six. They defend, they check, and we’re near the top of the league. I think they’ve been a real key reason why we’re where we’re at, given our struggles offensively. Hopefully today, this trade puts a little pop into our offense.
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